GE and Foster Wheeler have announced a portfolio of joint mining infrastructure solutions that can deliver energy, processing systems, water management and waste management. The collaboration will see Foster Wheeler Chile, a subsidiary of Foster Wheeler AG, working with GE to integrate technology, engineering and resources to build ‘simple paths’ to complex solutions in the mining industry. Hugo Silva, Regional Mining Lead for GE Mining Solutions told IM: “It is possible that some of these solutions could evolve into a joint venture. Our agreement connects both Energy and Water projects; it matches GE Energy’s capabilities to customer operations to solve challenges not previously connected.”

As an example, the two companies are putting their joint expertise into work on a water desalination project to help increase copper output at an operation in Chile. Mr Silva commented: “GE Power and Water has the broadest scope and is one of the most experienced companies in the desalinisation industry. Our offering ranges in both the equipment as well as the chemicals the desalinisation plants use. On the equipment side we can supply the most advanced ultrafiltration systems, that are an mechanical barrier to algae and other microorganisms present in the Chilean coasts, and factory assembled modular blocks of desalinisation plants, that have low costs of erection as well as very quick installation and start up times.” Foster Wheeler is a global engineering and construction contractor and power equipment supplier delivering technically advanced, reliable facilities and equipment. The company’s Global Engineering and Construction Group designs and constructs leading-edge processing facilities for the mining and metals industry amongst others. 

“With rising demand, environmental considerations and the need to venture into more-remote areas, mining companies may be facing some of their biggest challenges ever,” said Keiran Coulton, President, Global Industries, GE Energy. “By thinking systems instead of products and complementing our expertise with Foster Wheeler’s, we can quickly deliver infrastructure that enables more productive mining practically anywhere.” The team is designing a co-generation power plant that delivers electricity and heat to remote Chilean mines. Both of these projects can be replicated in other locations – speeding the development of new mine output and offering productivity improvements to existing operations. These joint solutions also are designed to minimise mining’s environmental impact and create more sustainable and cleaner systems. Electricity is generated with the exhaust heat from the engines or turbines is used for different processes at the concentrator plant. These projects have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions and energy costs. Other activity areas may include wastewater processing – safely processing water for mining needs and returning clean water to the earth or processing it for safe consumption. In grinding circuits, GE Energy has an offering of high efficient electric motors as well as automation systems and aims to be present in this area of the plant with packaged solutions.